New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Danhardaror’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct New Guinea  Impatiens  plant named ‘Danhardor’ characterized by having large, round, dark lavender flowers, containing a red eye in the center; green leaves; highly branched; and a compact, round growth habit.

Botanical designation: Impatiens hawkeri.

Variety denomination: ‘Danhardaror’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri,hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Danhardaror’. The genus ofImpatiens belongs to the Balsaminacea family.

The new Impatiens cultivar is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor, Gabriel Danziger, in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva,Israel. The objective of the breeding program is to develop a newImpatiens variety with large, round, dark lavender flowers containing ared eye in the center, green leaves and a compact growth habit.

‘Danhardaror’ originated from a cross made in a controlled breedingprogram by the Inventor in 2002 in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. Thefemale or seed parent is the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar designated‘A-616’ (unpatented) and is characterized by having round, lavenderflowers and a compact growth habit. The male parent is the Impatienshawkeri cultivar designated ‘H-313’ (unpatented) and is characterized byhaving large, round flowers in a salmon color and a compact growthhabit. ‘Danhardaror’ was discovered and selected by the Inventor in Juneof 2002 as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in acontrolled environment in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was performed by leaf cuttings.The cuttings are from an apical bud that has no more than two expandedleaves and three to four immature leaves present. Asexual reproductionof ‘Danhardaror’ was first performed in December of 2001 in MoshavMishmar Hashiva, Israel, and has demonstrated that the combination ofcharacteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmlyfixed and retained through successive generations of asexualreproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true-to-type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe unique characteristics of ‘Danhardaror’ which in combinationdistinguish this Impatiens as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Large, round flowers;    -   2. Dark lavender flower color;    -   3. Green leaves;    -   4. Highly branched; and    -   5. Compact and round growth habit.

Plants of the new Impatiens cultivar ‘Danhardaror’ differ from plants ofthe parents, ‘A-616’ (unpatented) and ‘H-313’ (unpatented), in thefollowing characteristics described in Table 1:

TABLE 1 Female Parent Male Parent New Cultivar ‘A-616’ ‘H-313’ Trait‘Danhardaror’ (unpatented) (unpatented) Color of fully Purple group:Purple group: Red group: opened petals RHS N78B RHS N78C RHS 43D (uppersurface): Leaf size Length: 12 cm Length: 10 cm Length: 11 cm Width: 2.5cm Width: 3 cm Width: 3.5 cm Plant height 18 cm 19 cm 18 cm

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present Inventor, the mostsimilar in comparison to the new Impatiens cultivar ‘Danhardaror’ is theImpatiens cultivar ‘Danhardalil’, described in co-pending U.S. Plantpatent application Ser. No. 10/846,635. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel, plants of ‘Danhardaror’differed from plants of ‘Danhardalil’ in the following characteristicsdescribed in Table 2:

TABLE 2 New Cultivar Comparison Cultivar Trait ‘Danhardaror’‘Danhardalil’ Size of flower 7 cm 8 cm Plant height 18 cm 15 cm Flowercenter Small, red-purple eye. Small, white eye. color Red-Purple Group:White Group: RHS 67B RHS 155D

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Impatiens cultivar ‘Danhardaror’ showing the colors as trueas is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe color of the ‘Danhardaror’.

The first photograph shows a top perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘Danhardaror’ in a 12 to 13 c.m. pot, at 15 weeks of age.

The second photograph shows a close-up view of the typical flowers, budsand leaves of ‘Danhardaror’ at 15 weeks of age.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

‘Danhardaror’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variationsin environment such as temperature, light intensity, and daylength,without any change in the genotype of the plant.

The aforementioned photographs, together with the followingobservations, measurements and values describe plants of the newImpatiens cultivar ‘Danhardaror’ as grown in a greenhouse in MoshavMishmar Hashiva, Israel, under conditions which closely approximatethose generally used in commercial practice. Plants of ‘Danhardaror’were grown in a greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 25° C. to30° C. at night temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 25° C. Plants of‘Danhardaror’ were fertilized up to a level of 100 ppm N, 35 ppm P and120 ppm K.

Color references are made with The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.), 2001 edition, except where general colors of ordinarysignificance are used. Color values were taken under daylight conditionsat approximately 12 noon in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. Thephotographs and descriptions were taken during the winter when outdoorday temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 25° C. and outdoor nighttemperatures ranged from 10° C. to 15° C. The age of the plantsdescribed is 15 weeks.

-   Classification:    -   -   Botanical.—Impatiens hawkeri.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female or seed parent.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar designated            ‘A-616’ (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar designated ‘H-313’            (unpatented).-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Leaf cutting.        -   Time and temperature to initiate roots.—Summer: 7 to 10 days            at 25° C. Winter: 10 to 15 days at 21° C.        -   Time and temperature to produce a rooted cutting or            liner.—Summer: 15 to 18 days at 25° C. Winter: 18 to 21 days            at 21° C.        -   Rooting habit and description.—Fibrous roots, adventitious            roots from cutting base.-   Plant:    -   -   General appearance and form.—Round and compact.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Very good branching.        -   Growth rate.—3 months from rooted plant to a finished            product in 12 to 13 cm pots.        -   Plant height.—18 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—30 cm.-   Lateral branches:    -   -   Quantity per plant.—4 main branches that split to 9            secondary branches, (every node splits to 2 to 3 secondary            branches).        -   Length.—10 to 12 cm.        -   Diameter.—1.0 to 1.5 cm.        -   Internode length.—5 to 6 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong, very stable.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Color.—Upper surface: Grey-brown group: RHS N199B. Lower            surface: Yellow-green group: RHS 146A.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Overall shape of leaf.—Lanceolate to ovate.        -   Shape at apex.—Attenuate.        -   Shape at base.—Acuminate.        -   Length.—12 cm.        -   Width.—2.5 cm.        -   Margin.—Ciliate.        -   Texture.—Upper surface: Smooth. Lower surface: Smooth.        -   Color of mature (developed) leaf.—Upper surface: Green, RHS            137A. Lower surface: Green, RHS 138B.        -   Color of immature (expanding) leaf.—Upper surface: Green,            RHS 137A. Lower surface: Green, RHS 138B.        -   Venation pattern.—Midrib with secondary veins. Pinnate, only            lower surface.        -   Venation color.—Upper surface (midrib): Yellow-green, RHS            145C. Lower surface (midrib): Yellow-green, RHS 147C,            Secondary veins: Yellow-green RHS 147B.        -   Petiole length.—1 cm.        -   Petiole diameter.—2 mm.        -   Petiole color.—Upper surface: Greyed-red, RHS 181C. Lower            surface: Greyed-red, RHS 180C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single flowers raised above the            foliage. The corolla consists of five petals.        -   Natural flowering season.—Flowers at any day length. All            year round in a greenhouse environment. Flowering is            continuous from spring until fall in an outdoor garden.        -   Flowering response.—12 weeks after planting of rooted            cuttings.        -   Quantity of flowers.—The number of blooms is about 25 to 30            flowers per mature plant, 3 months old at any given time.        -   Post production longevity.—Up to six months.        -   Fragrance (if any).—None.-   Corolla:    -   -   Form.—Single.        -   Shape.—Round.        -   Length.—7 cm.        -   Width.—7 cm.        -   Depth.—3 mm.        -   Color.—Purple group, RHS N78B.-   Buds:    -   -   Rate of opening (from showing color to fully open            flower).—10 to 14 days.        -   Length (showing color, before opening).—2 cm.        -   Diameter.—At Apex: 0.5 cm. At Base: 1 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Color.—Purple Group, RHS N78B.-   Petals:    -   -   Quantity and arrangement per flower.—5 Petals. The dorsal            petal is free. The lateral petals are fused in pairs.        -   Banner petal length.—3.5 cm.        -   Lateral and base petal length.—3.5 cm.        -   Banner petal width.—5 cm.        -   Banner lateral and base petals.—3 cm.        -   Overall shape.—Round.        -   Shape at apex.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Aspect.—Obcordate.        -   Texture.—Upper surface: Smooth. Lower surface: Smooth.        -   Color of opening petals.—Upper surface: Purple group: RHS            N78B. Base color: Red-purple group: RHS 67A. Lower surface:            Purple group: RHS N78C. Base color: Red-purple group: RHS            67B.        -   Color of fully opened petals.—Upper surface: Purple group:            RHS N78B. Base color: Red-purple group: RHS 67A. Lower            surface: Purple group, RHS N78C. Base color: Red-purple            group, RHS 67B.-   Sepals:    -   -   Quantity per flower.—2.        -   Length.—About 1.1 cm.        -   Width.—About 5 mm.        -   Overall shape.—Oblong.        -   Apex shape.—Acute.        -   Base shape.—Rounded.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 63B, red-purple group. Lower            surface: RHS 63A, red-purple group.-   Spur:    -   -   Quantity per flower.—One.        -   Length.—5.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—At apex: 1 mm. At flower: 3 mm.        -   Aspect.—40° to 45° from peduncle.        -   Color of spur.—Towards base: Red-purple group, RHS 58A.            Towards apex: Green group, RHS 142A.-   Peduncles:    -   -   Appearance and angle.—Erect 90° from corolla.        -   Length.—5.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—1 mm.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Strength.—Stable, flexible.        -   Color.—Greyed-purple group, RHS 184B.-   Reproductive organs:-   Androecium:    -   -   Stamen quantity per flower.—There are five stamens with            introrse anthers that are more or less fused and form a cap            over the ovary.        -   Filament.—No filament.        -   Anther shape.—Cap shape.        -   Anther length.—0.3 mm.        -   Anther color.—White group, RHS 155A.        -   Pollen amount.—Abundant amount.        -   Pollen color.—White group, RHS 155D.-   Gynoecium:    -   -   Pistil quantity of per flower.—One.        -   Pistil length.—3 mm.        -   Stigma shape.—Round.        -   Stigma color.—Green-yellow group, RHS 1 D.        -   Style length.—No distinct style.        -   Ovary color.—Yellow-Green group, RHS 144D.-   Seeds:    -   -   Quantity.—About 10 to 15 seeds per fruit.        -   Length.—2 mm.        -   Diameter.—2 mm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Texture.—Puberulous.        -   Color.—Greyed-orange group, RHS 17A.-   Fruit:    -   -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Color.—Green group, RHS 143 C.-   Disease/pest resistance: No information is currently available.-   Disease/pest susceptibility: No information is currently available.-   Low temperature tolerance: Very sensitive to temperatures below 10°    C.

1. A new and distinct New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Danhardaror’, asillustrated and described herein.